Motor and chassis assembly for toy racing car



June 6, 1967 L. F. GIPPERICH ETAL 3,

MOTOR AND CHASSIS ASSEMBLY FOR TOY RACING CAR Filed May 10, 1965 I N VEJan Farm: 7T 7770 7145 ,ZdCSd/I z', Bf/727i j/PeZJo/i United StatesPatent 3,323,252 MOTGR AND CHASSIS ASSEMBLY FOR TOY RACING CAR LawrenceF. Gipperich, St. Clair Shores, Thomas Bacsanyi, Livonia, and PhilipSheldon, Rochester, Mich., assignors to Model Products Corporation,Mount Clemens, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed May 10, 1965, Ser.No. 454,438

Claims. (Cl. 46-243) This invention relates to an improved motor andchassis assembly for an electric powered toy automobile. Suchautomobiles secure their power from an electric track and are racedaround a course defined by the track. It is desirable to have the motorand chassis assembly with a low center of gravity which assembly can beeasily and inexpensively mass-produced. It is also desirable to have theweight properly distributed between the front and rear wheels so as toprovide improved handling characteristics whereby the toy maintainstraction with the race course.

Our motor and chassis assembly is of an improved compact and flatconstruction in which the armature is journaled in bearings in axiallyspaced field magnets and in which the pole plates form an integral partof the chassis. Our invention utilizes a novel construction for locatingthe field magnets whereby the entire motor and chassis assembly is heldtogether by four screws which serve to hold the pole pieces to themagnets, secure the chassis to the motor, and locate the magnets in themotor. This construction saves manufacturing costs While providing animproved product. The chassis consists of two generally tubular frameswhich telescope over and extend forwardly and rearwardly of the motorand in which the wheel axles are journaled. This arrangement provides avery compact motor chassis assembly which imparts improved handlingcharacteristics to the toy racing car by keeping the weight of theassembly properly located between the front and rear wheels so as toimprove traction with the race course.

. Accordingly, it is the object of our invention to provide an improvedelectric toy racing car motor and chassis assembly.

Another object is to provide a toy electric racing car motor and chassisassembly which has a generally tubular, compact construction easilyadapted to different size car bodies and which may be easily andeconomically manufactured and assembled.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and claims and may be understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings which by way of illustration show a preferredembodiment of the invention and what we now consider to be the best modeof applying the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the inventionmay be used without departing from the scope of the present invention asset forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away side view of a toy electric racingcar showing a motor and chassis assembly according to our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of our motor and chassis assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the contact taken along line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the electric motor used in ourinvention.

As shown in the drawings, the invention comprises a motor and chassisassembly to which a plastic automobile body 12 may be secured so as tomake a plastic racing car for use in slot type electric race tracks. Anelectric motor 14 contains an armature 16 therein and has two circularfield magnets 20 and 22 at either end thereof. The magnets each have acentral aperture 24 carrying a bearing 26 in which the armature shaft 28is journaled. The armature shaft 28 extends through the bearing inmagnet 22 and carries a pinion gear 30 at the end thereof. The magnets20 and 22 contain opposed radial orientation slots 32 at the magneticpoles thereof. When assembled in the motor, the slots 32 of magnets 20and 22 are opposite one another. The motor is provided with two ferrouspole pieces 34 and 36 which run between the magnets 20 and 22 and jointhe like poles of the magnets so as to produce a strong magnetic fieldbetween the pole pieces. When the pole pieces are in assembled positionon the magnets, threated opening 38 are positioned adjacent the radialslots 32. The ends of the pole pieces 34 and 36 each carry a flange 40which is bent inwardly around the respective magnet 20 or 22 so as toprevent shifting of the magnets outwardly relative to the pole pieceswhen the motor is assembled. A non-ferrous strap 42 secured by nut andbolt 44 surrounds the pole pieces and holds the motor brushes relativeto the motor.

A non-ferrous tubular rear chassis unit 48, which may be made ofaluminum, is telescoped over and extends rearwardly from the rear magnet22. A similar front chassis unit 50 extends forwardly from magnet 20 atthe front end of the motor. Each unit telescopes the ends of the polepieces 34 and 36 and also the poles of the respective field magnets. Therear chassis unit 48 carries a rear axle 70 on which is secured gear 72.The gears 30 and 72 are meshed so that the motor drives the real axle 70so as to rotate the rear wheels 74 and propel the toy racer around thetrack. The front chassis unit 50 carries at the leading end thereof acontact unit 56 for making electrical contact with the power sourcelocated in the track. The contact unit is secured to the chassis bymeans of a vertical collar 62 which provides for positive electricalcontact between the motor and the power source as the racer travelsaround the race track. Vertical blade 58 of the contact extends downinto the slot in the race track so as to position the racer relativethereto and also serves to separate the flexible contacts 60 whichengage the electrically conductive metal strips on opposite sides of theslot in the track. Wires 63 lead from the contacts 60 to the brushes ofthe motor 14- shown generally at 64. The front chassis unit 50 alsocarries a front axle 66 with front wheels '75 secured thereto. As shownin FIGURE 1, suitable means such as screws 76 extend through the holes77 in the chassis units and are threaded into the car body to mount thelatter on the chassis.

The rear chassis unit 48 is provided with openings 0pposite the holes 38at the rearward end of the pole plates 34 and 36 whereby screws 52 maybe inserted through the openings in the rear chassis and threadedlyengaged with the rear openings 38 in the pole plates. Screws 52 alsoextend radially inwardly within the slots 32 of the rear magnet 22. Thefront chassis unit 50 is provided with slots 54 located opposite thefront openings 38 in the pole plates 34 and 36 whereby screws 53 may beinserted through the slots 54 and may be threadedly engaged with thefront openings 38 in the pole plates. The screws 53 extend through thepole plates and into the radial slots 32 in the front magnet 20. Byusing the construction just described the motor and chassis units areassembled by means of the screws 52 and 53 to form a compact motor andchassis assembly of generally tubular construction having a low centerof gravity.

The magnets 20 and 22 are preferably cold pressed magnets of the kindidentified under the trade name Loadex. These magnets have a highmagnetic permeability and are relatively inexpensively formed from leadand cobalt particles to an exact geometry. In this fashion it ispossible to make the magnets 20 and 22 with the apertures 24 and slots32 located therein without resorting to expensive milling or drillingoperations. The magnets are press formed and then magnetized so that thepoles are located at the slots 32.

The motor and chassis construction described provides for positivelocation and orientation of the magnets 20 and 22 between the flanges 40on the ends of the pole plates and the inwardly protruding portions ofthe screws 52 and 53 located within the slots 32. The slots 32 alsoserve to identify the poles of the magnets 20 and 22 so as to facilitateproper positioning of the magnets with like poles opposed to oneanother. The slots 54 in the front chassis unit 50 provide for axialadjustment of the unit so as to enable the chassis and motor assembly tofit different size car bodies.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and wetherefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth butdesire to avail ourselves'of such changes and alterations as fall withinthe purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A motor and chassis assembly for a toy slot racer comprising anelectric motor having a pair of axially spaced, disc-shaped magnetsoriented with like magnetic poles opposed to each other, two ferrouspole pieces each contacting said magnets at the edges thereof andjoining two of said like poles so as to form a magnetic field betweensaid pole pieces, an armature having an armature shaft journaled inhearings in the magnets, one end of the armature shaft extending throughone magnet with a pinion gear attached thereto, means located at the endof each pole piece overlapping the end faces of the magnets to preventshifting of the magnets relative to the pole pieces; a generally tubularchassis unit extending axially from each end of said motor andtelescoped over the adjacent ends of said pole pieces, one of saidchassis units carrying an axle with a gear secured thereto and meshedwith said pinion gear so that the motor drives the axle; electricalcontact means carried by the other of said chassis units for makingelectrical contact between the motor and an electrically conductivetrack; the magnets having slots at each pole on the inner faces thereof,said pole pieces having openings opposite said slots, said chassis unitshaving holes opposed to said openings, and holding elements insertedthrough said holes and openings and into said slots so as to secure saidchassis units to said motor and to orient said magnets relative to saidpole pieces.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said holding elementscooperate with said first-mentioned means to prevent axial shifting ofthe magnets.

3. A motor and chassis assembly as described in claim 1 wherein saidmagnets are cylindrical with the armature located axially therebetweenthe pole pieces are curved to fit the circumference of the magnets, andthe armature has a close fit with the curved pole pieces.

4. A motor and chassis assembly for a toy vehicle comprising an electricmotor having a pair of axially spaced, disc-shaped magnets oriented withlike magnetic poles opposed to each other, a ferrous pole pieceextending between each pair of like poles so as to form a magnetic fieldbetween the pole pieces, an armature having an armature shaft journaledin axial bearings in the magnets, a chassis comprising frame membersextending axially from and telescoped over the ends of said pole pieces,one of said frame members carrying driving means driven by the motor forpropelling the vehicle, electrical contact means mounted on the otherframe member for making electrical contact between the motor and asource of electric power; the magnets having slots at each pole on theinner faces thereof, said pole pieces having openings opposite saidslots, said frame members having holes opposed to said openings andholding elements inserted through said holes and openings and into saidslots so as to secure said chassis to said motor and to orient saidmagnets relative to said =pole pieces.

5. A motor and chassis assembly according to claim 4 including means onthe ends of said pole pieces engaging the outer faces of said magnetsand cooperable with said holding means to prevent axial shifting of themagnets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,211 5/1952 Beliaeff.3,121,811 2/1964 Marti et al. 310154 X 3,163,123 12/1964 Ziroli 46--243X 3,165,654 1/1965 Mabuchi 310l54 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, PrimaryExaminer.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MOTOR AND CHASSIS ASSEMBLY FOR A TOY SLOT RACER COMPRISING ANELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED, DISC-SHAPED MAGNETSORIENTED WITH LIKE MAGNETIC POLES OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER, TWO FERROUSPOLE PIECES EACH CONTACTING SAID MAGNETS AT THE EDGES THEREOF ANDJOINING TWO OF SAID LIKE POLES SO AS TO FORM A MAGNETIC FIELD BETWEENSAID POLE PIECES, AN ARMATURE HAVING AN ARMATURE SHAFT JOURNALED INBEARINGS IN THE MAGNETS, ONE END OF THE ARMATURE SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGHONE MAGNET WITH A PINION GEAR ATTACHED THERETO, MEANS LOCATED AT THE ENDOF EACH POLE PIECE OVERLAPPING THE END FACES OF THE MAGNETS TO PREVENTSHIFTING OF THE MAGNETS RELATIVE TO THE POLE PIECES; A GENERALLY TUBULARCHASSIS UNIT EXTENDING AXIALLY FROM EACH END OF SAID MOTOR ANDTELESCOPED OVER THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID POLE PIECES, ONE OF SAIDCHASSIS UNITS CARRYING AN AXLE WITH A GEAR SECURED THERETO AND MESHEDWITH SAID PINION GEAR SO THAT THE MOTOR DRIVES THE AXLE; ELECTRICALCONTACT MEANS CARRIED BY THE OTHER OF SAID CHASSIS UNITS FOR MAKINGELECTRICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE MOTOR AND AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVETRACK; THE MAGNETS HAVING SLOTS AT EACH POLE ON THE INNER FACES THEREOF,SAID POLE PIECES HAVING OPENINGS OPPOSITE SAID SLOTS, SAID CHASSIS UNITSHAVING HOLES OPPOSED TO SAID OPENINGS, AND HOLDING ELEMENTS INSERTEDTHROUGH SAID HOLES AND OPENINGS AND INTO SAID SLOTS SO AS TO SECURE SAIDCHASSIS UNITS TO SAID MOTOR AND TO ORIENT SAID MAGNETS RELATIVE TO SAIDPOLE PIECES.